The Gradual Prohibition of Khamr (Alchoholic Drink)

يَسْأَلُونَكَ عَنِ الْخَمْرِ وَالْمَيْسِرِ ۖ قُلْ فِيهِمَا إِثْمٌ كَبِيرٌ وَمَنَافِعُ لِلنَّاسِ

وَيَسْأَلُونَكَ مَاذَا يُنفِقُونَ قُلِ الْعَفْوَ ۗ كَذَٰلِكَ يُبَيِّنُ اللَّـهُ لَكُمُ الْآيَاتِ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَتَفَكَّرُونَ 

They ask you (O Muhammad ) concerning alcoholic drink and gambling. Say: “In them is a great sin, and (some) benefits for men, but the sin of them is greater than their benefit.” And they ask you what they ought to spend. Say: “That which is (spare) beyond your needs.” Thus Allah makes clear to you His Laws in order that you may give thought. (2:219)

Tafsir (Ibn Kathir)

The Gradual Prohibition of Khamr (Alchoholic Drink)

Imam Ahmad recorded that Abu Maysarah said that `Umar once said, “O Allah! Give us a clear ruling regarding Al-Khamr!” Allah sent down the Ayah of Surat Al-Baqarah:

(They ask you (O Muhammad ) concerning alcoholic drink and gambling. Say: “In them is a great sin…)

`Umar was then summoned and the Ayah was recited to him. Yet, he still said, “O Allah! Give us a clear ruling regarding Al-Khamr.” Then, this Ayah that is in Surat An-Nisa’ was revealed:

O you who believe! Approach not As-Salah (the prayer) when you are in a drunken state. (4:43)

Then, when the prayer was called for, a person used to herald on behalf of Allah’s Messenger , “No drunk person should attend the prayer.” `Umar was summoned again and the Ayah was recited to him. Yet, he still said, “O Allah! Give us a clear ruling regarding Al-Khamr.” Then, the Ayah that is in Surat Al-Ma’idah was revealed, `Umar was again summoned and the Ayah was recited to him. When he reached:

So, will you not then abstain (5:91) he said, “We did abstain, we did abstain.” This is also the narration that Abu Dawud, At-Tirmidhi and An-Nasai collected in their books

Allah said:

(They ask you (O Muhammad ) concerning alcoholic drinks and gambling.)

As for Al-Khamr, `Umar bin Khattab, the Leader of the faithful, used to say, “It includes all what intoxicates the mind.”

Allah said:

(Say: In them is a great sin, and (some) benefits for men.)

As for the harm that the Khamr and gambling cause, it effects the religion. As for their benefit, it is material, including benefit for the body, digesting the food, getting rid of the excrements, sharpening the mind, bringing about a joyous sensation and financially benefiting from their sale. Also, (their benefit includes) earnings through gambling that one uses to spend on his family and on himself. Yet, these benefits are outweighed by the clear harm that they cause which affects the mind and the religion.

This Ayah was the beginning of the process of prohibiting Khamr, not explicity, but it only implied this meaning. So when this Ayah was recited to `Umar, he still said, “O Allah! Give us a clear ruling regarding Al-Khamr.” Soon after, Allah sent down a clear prohibition of Khamr in Surat Al-Ma’idah:

O you who believe! Intoxicants (all kinds of alcoholic drinks), and gambling, and Al-Ansab, and Al-Azlam are an abomination of Shaytan’s handiwork. So avoid (strictly all) that (abomination) in order that you may be successful. Shaytan wants only to excite enmity and hatred between you with intoxicants (alcoholic drinks) and gambling, and hinder you from the remembrance of Allah and from As-Salah (the prayer). So, will you not then abstain. (5:90, 91)

Spending whatever One could spare of his Money on Charity

Allah said:

(And they ask you what they ought to spend. Say: “That which is (spare) beyond your needs.”)

Ibn Jarir related that Abu Hurayrah said that a man said, “O Messenger of Allah! I have a Dinar (a currency).” The Prophet said: (Spend it you on yourself.) He said, “I have another Dinar.” He said: (Spend it on your wife.) He said, “I have another Dinar.” He said: (Spend it on your offspring.) He said, “I have another Dinar.” He said: (You have better knowledge (meaning how and where to spend it in charity)

Muslim recorded that Jabir said that Allah’s Messenger said to a man:

Start with yourself and grant it some charity. If anything remains, then spend it on your family. If anything remains, then spend it on your relatives. If anything remains, then spend it like this and like that (i.e., on various charitable purposes).

Allah said:

(Thus Allah makes clear to you His Ayat in order that you may give thought. In (to) this worldly life and in the Hereafter.) meaning, just as He stated and explained these commandments for you, He also explains the rest of His Ayat regarding the commandments and His promises and warnings, so that you might give thought in this life and the Hereafter. `Ali bin Abu Talhah said that Ibn `Abbas commented, “Meaning about the imminent demise and the brevity of this life, and the imminent commencement of the Hereafter and its continuity.”